Some of the new Peace Corps Volunteers taking their oath of service before the United States Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Vincent Spera (not pictured) in a swearing-in ceremony held at the Peace Corps office in Dar es Salaam on April 19, 2017 and witnessed by the guest of honor, Dr. Athumani Amir Pembe,

Fifty-One Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) committed to two years of service in a swearing-in ceremony at the Peace Corps office in Dar es Salaam today. The volunteers, who will work in the health and agriculture sectors, will be stationed in 20 districts across Tanzania, including Iringa, Mufindi, Kondoa, Mbinga, Masasi, Ludewa, Lushoto, Songea, Kishapu, Makete, Singida Rural, Same, Njombe, Manyoni, Shinyanga Rural, Mafinga, Makambako, Wanging’ombe, Mbeya, and Lushoto.

Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Vincent Spera administered the official oath of service to the new volunteers in the presence of the guest of honor, Dr. Athumani Amir Pembe, Acting Assistant Director of Health Services and Nutrition in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Governments, as well as Tanzania Peace Corps Country Director Dr. Nelson Cronyn. Former PCVs from around the world, officials from partner volunteer agencies, and families who hosted volunteers also attended the ceremony.

In his remarks, Chargé Spera described the swearing-in ceremony as a celebration of volunteers’ commitment to service and the durable partnership between Tanzania and the United States. “The U.S. Government works across all areas – from governance to economic development to regional security – but the core of everything we do is focused on helping the Tanzanian people. We do that best at the individual, person-to-person level, and Peace Corps Volunteers and their hosts and counterparts make that vision a reality every day,” he told the audience.

Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) dancing to a popular Tanzanian song during their swearing-in ceremony, held at the Peace Corps office in Dar es Salaam on April 19, 2017.

More than 2,850 PCVs have served in Tanzania since 1962. The Peace Corps provides trained American volunteers who work with communities in the fields of secondary education (math, science, and information and communications technology), health promotion, and environmental education.

The volunteers offer assistance and training on environmental education, including land degradation, preserving water catchments, soil conservation and implementation of agro-forestry techniques, and emphasize partnership with women and youth. Volunteers also offer bio-intensive gardens to promote household food security, as well as a variety of income-generating activities.

The volunteers also help strengthen public health by working with youth, health service providers, and community groups to promote healthy behaviors, including HIV/AIDS prevention, and care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, orphans and vulnerable children. The volunteers work closely with village health committees to analyze community needs and priorities and promote behavior change in areas of maternal and child health, nutrition, malaria, waterborne diseases, sexual and reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps is a U.S. Government agency that supports about 8,000 volunteers in more than 60 countries. For 56 years, Peace Corps has maintained apolitical and non-sectarian ideals of technical and cultural exchange. More than 189,000 volunteers have served in 140 countries. Peace Corps promotes world peace and friendship by fulfilling three fundamental goals:

Providing American volunteers who contribute to the social and economic development of interested countries;

Promoting a better understanding of Americans among the people who volunteers serve;